The 82nd annual Academy Awards® have come and gone with winners from the big night ranging from war film The Hurt Locker as Best Picture to Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock taking home Leading Actor and Actress, respectively. Mo’Nique and Christoph Waltz’s roles in Precious and Inglourious Basterds earned them Supporting Actress and Actor honors while Hurt Locker filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman in OSCARS® history to win the Directing statue. Avatar’s fantasy world of Pandora was deemed worthy of three awards while Disney’s Up garnered a pair and the dolphin-friendly film The Cove was named Best Documentary Feature. It would seem that everyone but the losing nominees were happy with how the ceremony went, but in the few days that have followed, a number of interesting stories have cropped up about who was snubbed, insulted and in one case, almost prevented from reaching the Kodak Theatre stage after winning one of the trophies.

Film and TV actress Farrah Fawcett, who passed away last year at the age of 62, was omitted from the “In Memoriam” segment of the show, prompting outrage from her family and friends. A representative from the Academy Awards has since come forth to say that a tribute to her at last year’s Emmys was more appropriate, given her fame from such shows as Charlie’s Angels. This morning, Sirius Radio personality Howard Stern unleashed a nasty diatribe against Precious actress Gabourey Sidibe and Oprah Winfrey claiming the actress’ life in show business is effectively over following her Leading Actress loss to Sandra Bullock and that Oprah is a “liar” for telling the 27-year-old she’s “going to have a career.” Finally, there’s the peculiar story of the producers from Music for Prudence, winner of the Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short. When the film’s name was revealed, producer Roger Ross Williams ran to accept the award, while his 87-year old mother allegedly tried to prevent the other producer Elinor Burkett from making her way to the stage within the 45-second acceptance speech window. As it turns out, the two producers are in the midst of a legal battle surrounding the film, but these circumstances with an elderly Mom blocking the way inside Kodak Theatre are just too bizarre to ignore.

So we’ve assembled a few of our costumes to wear if you want to draw some controversy at the next disguise party, or just acknowledge the movies that won fair and square – including The Young Victoria from our favorite category, Costume Design. Leave it to Hollywood, there’s never a dull moment – on or off the set!

St. Paddy’s Day, Ireland’s national holiday with worldwide appeal, is almost here!  Whether your celebration includes attending a parade or mass, feasting or just downing a mug or two of green beer, it’s sure to be the most festive Wednesday all year long.  If you ask us, everyone needs a Celtic, Shamrock, or Leprechaun look to pay proper tribute to patron Saint Patrick, so give a glance at our Paddy’s Day costume choices and pick your favorite.  Hosting a group affair for St. Patrick’s Day?  Don’t forget to decorate your céilidh with our Green-hued and Irish-themed Party Supplies.  March 17th is mere days away, get your outfit and accessories together now so that when the time comes, there’s nothing left to do but rejoice in the revelry of St. Patrick’s Day!

Call it a case of superhero one-upsmanship. Only days after Superman’s debut in Action Comics No. 1 sold at auction for the stratospheric price of $1 Million US Dollars, the first appearance of Batman in Detective Comics No. 27 trumped it by going to a private bidder for the new record amount of $1,075,500. Heritage Auction Galleries handled the comic book’s sale, whose condition was graded as equal to Action Comics No. 1 – an 8.0 out of 10 or “Very Fine.”

So what does this previously unimaginable price tag mean for the comic book marketplace and superhero worship in general? Well, it’s a victory for all collectors who have successfully preserved their comics with hopes of a big pay day in the years to come. Attic-cleaning moms will have to devise new strategies once the children find out that their comics, given enough time, could command decades’ worth of salary from hero-hungry buyers.

Fictional fantasy figures such as Superman and Batman are at a high-water mark of popularity in the comic book community. Combine the larger-than-life reputations of these idols with the scarcity of their debut issues and you have a perfect storm leading to mind-boggling dollar amounts such as these. Few of us have the budget to afford such lucrative collectibles, but we can still live out the bravery of our comic book icons in other ways – such as costumes! While we’ve included a few Batman Costume options below, be sure to browse our site to see the full Superhero selection. Choose an adventurous alter-ego and wear their distinguished disguise but also hold onto your collection of printed character cartoons; the timeless stories of action and romance might end up becoming a sizeable retirement fund!

It’s almost time for that quintessential Irish holiday, St. Patrick’s Day!  March 17^th is well known for honorary parades, family feasts and reverential masses in tribute to Ireland’s patron Saint Patrick, but it’s the green-tinted costumes and extras that provide some of the most vivid memories.  Lucky for you, we’ve got a great offering of disguises and accessories to aid your celebration.

Between our Leprechaun and Irish-themed costumes for adults, St. Patrick’s Day outfits for kids, Paddy’s Day costume accessories, festive green hats and a bevy of boisterous Party Supplies we’ve left no Blarney Stone unturned in providing an ultimate assortment of disguises and extras to get your gathering going!  Another way to Go Green this St. Patrick’s Day is to use one of the codes below during checkout at HollywoodToysAndCostumes.com and save some hard-earned Greenbacks!

POTOFGOLD-P10 – 10% off all items in your order

KISSME-D5 – $5 off an order of $50 or more

GUINNESS-D10 – $10 off an order of $80 or more

LEPRECHAUN-D15 – $15 off an order of $100 or more

IRISHLUCK-P20 -20% off any order of $200 or more

To get your green goods even quicker, here’s a few St. Patrick’s Day Shipping Deals:

SHAMROCK-SHIP5 – $5 off Standard Shipping on any order of $40 or more

CLOVER-ES50 – 50% off Express Shipping on any order of $100 or more

Come the middle of March, St. Patrick’s Day will be the talk of the town.  Don’t be left green with envy, get your Paddy’s Day costumes now.  Green means GO, so keep pace and don’t slow down because these coupon codes are only valid through March 18, 2010.

The first week of March is huge for costumers!  Tim Burton’s highly anticipated interpretation of Alice in Wonderland reaches the big screen on the “very important date” of March 5th.  Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anne Hathaway and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, the fantasy film will be shown in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D, so follow suit and make yourself larger than life with an Alice in Wonderland costume to wear to the theater on opening weekend.  Only a few days after Alice arrives, the 82nd annual Academy Awards® will be handed out to lucky (and deserving) winners.  This year the 5 motion pictures vying for top honors in our favorite category of Costume Design are Bright Star, Coco Before Chanel, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Nine and The Young Victoria.  Celebrate all the nominees while you watch the broadcast live with family and friends on March 7th and don’t forget to decorate your OSCARS® party with our Hollywood-themed Party Supplies.  This big week in the movie world has us incredibly excited; let HollywoodToysAndCostumes.com help you get properly outfitted for it!

Setting an “official public record” for a comic book at auction, Action Comics No. 1 has sold for the incredible sum of $1 Million US Dollars. Revered for being the first appearance of Krypton’s Man of Steel, Superman, the 1938 comic fetched over Half a Million Dollars more than previous sales of the same issue due to its condition being graded higher – an 8 out of possible 10 or Very Fine. Auction website ComicConnect.com handled the private transaction, and it is believed that there are only 100 copies of this comic book remaining in existence.

With a face value of 10 cents, the Million Dollar sale has received a considerable amount of attention, making headlines in both the comic book community as well as mainstream media. In our opinion, this collectible’s value reinforces the Superman character’s continuing reputation as a symbol of all things good and true in society. His nobility and selflessness are enviable traits, ones not seen often enough these days, making Superman a quintessential hero in so many different ways. Those accolades, along with his feats of strength and speed, are among the reasons why the outfit still proves to be popular for costumers of all ages.

Take a look at our Superman costume options for adults and kids and see what happens when you don the iconic Red, Yellow and Blue outfit. With the recent auction news and a new Superman movie in the works, his stock is ascending. You might not become “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound” but the skin tight suit is sure to draw some smiles and maybe raise a few eyebrows from those around you!

Fans of the late King of Pop rejoice!  Michael Jackson’s futuristic movie attraction Captain EO has returned to Disneyland in Anaheim, California.  It’s been 13 years since the 4-D show appeared in Tomorrowland and quite a bit of interest surrounds its revival.

Michael Jackson’s all-too-soon passing last summer was followed by fan requests prompting the Disney theme park to evict “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” and bring back this science-fiction experience.  At 17 minutes long, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, produced by Star Wars creator George Lucas and starring Anjelica Huston alongside MJ himself, the mini-epic has star power to spare.

So, how will you mark the return of this popular immersive show?  If you’re heading to Orange County for a first-hand glimpse at Captain EO, we suggest wearing one of these Space Age Outfits or a classic Michael Jackson Costume to give yourself and other park visitors the full effect.  You’re sure to draw some attention while waiting in line…be sure to practice your Moonwalk ahead of time to complete the look!

The 82^nd annual Academy Awards® are almost here!  The motion picture industry’s biggest night is March 7^th and the ceremony at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood will be telecast live on ABC.  The biggest change this year is that there are now 10 films up for Best Picture; which of the lucky nominees will win this highly coveted OSCAR®?

Every year we look forward to the Academy Awards® for the surprises, A-list actors and their incredible red carpet outfits.  It’s long been a tradition for viewers at home to get their family and friends together and make an event out of the broadcast.  Looking for some decorations to get your OSCAR® party going?  Browse our Hollywood Movie-Themed Party Supplies for everything you need to immerse your guests in the glitz and glamour of a star-studded premiere.  Don’t forget our popular Movie Character Costumes including icons from films past and present.  Best of all, use any of the following codes during checkout at HollywoodToysAndCostumes.com to keep your bash’s budget in check:

NOMINEE-P10 – 10% off all items in your order

ACTOR-D5 – $5 off an order of $50 or more

ACTRESS-D10 – $10 off an order of $80 or more

EDITING-D15 – $15 off an order of $100 or more

DIRECTOR-P20 – 20% off any order of $200 or more

Want your Academy Awards® show accessories delivered even faster?  Try these Shipping Deals:

SCREENPLAY-SHIP5 – $5 off Standard Shipping on any order of $40 or more

BESTPICTURE-ES50 – 50% off Express Shipping on any order of $100 or more

There’s still some time to see most of these movies in the theater before the OSCARS® are handed out, but the clock is ticking on the special offers above.  Place your Academy Awards® party order today before the coupon codes expire on March 8^th, 2010.

As February is the shortest month of the year, March will be here in a flash and you know what that means…Time to start thinking about St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th!  Recognized as a public holiday in Ireland since 1903, the popularity of St. Paddy’s Day has spread worldwide and among the parades, meals and Masses you can expect to see a whole lot of Green in the wardrobes of those who celebrate.  Looking for a great Paddy’s Day costume to wear during the procession or at the local watering hole?  We’ve got Lucky Leprechaun looks, eye-opening Irish outfits for the lasses, some choice Celtic Children’s options, and incredible selection of St. Patrick’s Day Costume Accessories and plenty of Party Supplies to decorate your Coisir.  Honor the life of Ireland’s patron Saint Patrick by dressing up for the occasion, but be sure to enjoy the revelry in moderation because we don’t want you ending up Green around the gills!

The 2010 Winter Olympics are almost here! The Cauldron will be lit by torch in the Canadian city of Vancouver tomorrow night, February 12th, starting almost three weeks of snow and ice sports participated in by over 80 countries.

5500 athletes and officials are expected to compete and judge the 15 events, including Freestyle Skiing, Ice Hockey, Luge, and Snowboarding, with a worldwide audience watching and supporting the national teams. If you can’t make it up to British Columbia over the next 17 days to experience the Games in person, we think honoring the Olympians with a Wintry, Sporty, or Patriotic Costume to wear while you cheer them on is the best way to go.

Stay warm outside the Igloo in an Eskimo Outfit, get Sub-Zero Sexy in an Ice Fairy Costume, pay tribute to the famous Jamaican Bobsledders from Cool Runnings with a Rasta Dreadlock Wig or help root the USA to victory with a Kids Cheerleader Uniform. The mythical Yeti (Abominable Snowman) even makes a rare appearance in the wild with this Hat or Full Body Suit.  The Winter Olympics only happen once every four years, so make the next few weeks count and we’ll see you on the Winner’s Podium!